CANTON, Mass. – Volunteers will paint walls, repair benches and plant trees to brighten up the look of Cusco’s Meracado Central, a famous Peruvian local market. Tourism Cares, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving tourist destinations, is taking tourism industry volunteers to Peru as the company’s first global outreach program on May 3-7.
Previously, Tourism Cares’ tourism volunteer and scholarship projects have stayed within the United States, while grant programs reached globally. In 2012, Tourism Cares decided to extend its volunteer and scholarship program worldwide with Go Peru. Tourism professionals from the United States and Peru will come together for the event to volunteer and tour three sites in Peru: Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley of Peru.
“Our new Global Outreach program is designed to mirror Tourism Cares’ successful domestic model in key destinations around the world,” said Bruce Beckham, executive director of Tourism Cares. “Global Outreach will bring together industry leaders in sharing experience, expertise, talent and passion to assist in the conservation and preservation of iconic tourism destinations worldwide.”
Go Peru’s volunteer event in Cusco will help revamp the culturally significant Mercado Central market to preserve and make the site more appealing to travelers. The market allows visitors to interact with the Andean culture firsthand.
For more information, visit www.tourismcares.org.
